William j



(No Model.)

w. J. MQKINNEY.

SHOE.

No. 406,760. Patented July 9,1889.

IVIZW'ESSES UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE,

WVILLIAM J. MCKINNEY, OF RISING SUN, MARYLAND.

SHOE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 406,760, dated J'uly 9, 1889.

Application filed September 21,1888. Serial No. 285,987. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that 1, WILLIAM J. MCKINNEY, a citizen of the United States, residing at Rising Sun, in the county of Cecil and State of Maryland, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in'Shoes; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

My invention relates to that class of shoes which are provided with a gore on the side to enlarge the opening in the top, and also to that class of shoes known as Congress gaiters.

Heretofore Congress gaiters have been made by inserting elastic cloth in .the sides of the shoe, so that when the straps are pulled in opposite directions the opening for the foot to enter will be enlarged, and when the foot is in the shoe the elastic cloth willdraw the leather around the ankle and foot. This class of shoes is objectionable to some classes of wearers, as the water is liable to enter the shoe through the elastic cloth. Again, the elastic in the cloth soon breaks, and while the rest of the shoe is good the part that embraces the ankle becomes enlarged and presents an unsightly appearance, as well as making the foot uncomfortable. Another class of shoes having a folding fiap,which, when open, permitted the wearer to easily insert his foot, was partially substituted for the Congress gaiter. These shoes,while they prevented water from entering their interior, except over the top, were obj ectionable in that the flap was rigidly drawn around the ankle and prevented the wearer from having a free movement at the ankle, which is the case with Congress gaiters.

The object of my invention is to provide a shoe that will contain the good features of the above-described shoes and discard those which are objectionable.

The nature of my invention, therefore, c011- sists of constructions and combinations, all as will hereinafter be described in the specification, and pointed out in the claim, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 represents a side elevation of the shoe on the wearer; Fig. 2, a similar elevation showing the shoe ready for the insertion of the foot; Figs. 3 and 4:, details in top plan.v

A represents the front or vamp formed of one piece; A, the back, preferably formed of two pieces joined together at the rear ends and to the front for part of the distance from the solesay to the top of the counterand abutting against the front for the rest of the distance; A a gore securedbyits vertical edges to the front and back of the shoe and folded upon itself, so that when in place the gore will be concealed by the front and back of the shoe, and A represents an elastic attachment, preferably a coiled spring, for holding the edges of the front and back together. This elastic attachment, while clamping the upper part of the shoe around the ankle, permits the latter to have comparatively free play when the wearer is walking, and the gore, while admitting the play, prevents Water from entering theshoe, except over the top.

What I claim as new is Ina shoe, the combination of a vamp A,

having its rear edges cut in substantially a vertical line, the back A, having its front edges parallel with and abutting against the rear edges of the vamp, the gores A secured to the edges of the vamp and back and folded upon itself, and the elastic attachment secured to the upper parts of the vamp and back, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

WILLIAM J. MCKINNEY.

WVitnesses: J AooB IIEAGY,

M. M. DARE.- 

